Polished vs Chrome

B

Baldielox

Active Member
I prefer the look of polished over chrome. Jet coated pipes complement the look. Polished is a lot of work, but anyone can buy chrome. When you see a bike that is ridden and shines without all the aftermarket chrome, then you see someone who truly loves his or her bike.

- B
 
scubaman15

scubaman15

Well-Known Member
DRBarnhart said:
Unlike the rest I prefer polished!

I didn't say I preferred to polish but I think well polished aluminum has more "character" than chrome. Kind of like the difference between wood veneer and a solid piece of hardwood. When I go a bike show or other gathering of scoots I can appreciate the time it takes someone to have their aluminum shining. A real effort has been made considering there are no real shortcuts. It shows true dedication to their machine as opposed to just spending money on it.

And, like some have mentioned, when there are scratches in aluminum they can be dealt with. (I use a Micro-mesh kit for the worst of them.) When chrome gets scratches you just have to live with them or re-dip/replace the part. I had a teacher in a technical school I went to that always said, "Whatever you can do to wood you can do to aluminum." That makes for lots of possibilities...

Lastly, in the continuing effort to have a bike at least be slightly different from the rest, aluminum is one way to do it! :)

Guess this makes me the proverbial trout swimming upstream, eh? :D

Dennis
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I concur:up: ..
 
Michaelb

Michaelb

Member
I love the look of chrome, but I would take the polished over due to ease of repair. Powder coat sucks unless it's on the frame. I've taken most of the powder coat off my BD. To me, it's cheap looking. But I guess it's all in what you like. I prefer the look of chrome or polish. Powder coat doesn't seem to have the same shine as paint.
 
jimizee028

jimizee028

TRUE COLORS COLLISION
i also agree with the powdercoat look,it doesnt give that Gleaming shine,and there just aint no buffing it to get it there either.....
 
alhall88

alhall88

UAW
jimizee028 said:
i also agree with the powdercoat look,it doesnt give that Gleaming shine,and there just aint no buffing it to get it there either.....
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Sounds like you need to get a new powder coater, with the clear coat over it my powder shines every bit as much as my paint.
 
Marco Polo

Marco Polo

Newbie DELUXE
Chrome for me, every time. Not even close. I understand what the others are saying about appreciating the effort a guy puts in on keeping his aluminum polished and it being a sign he loves his ride but to me the primary function is still to RIDE them, not stare at them and spend more time in the garage with them then on the road. It's true, anyone can just buy the chrome package but why wouldn't you considering it looks better and requires less maintenance?

My Wolf is only sold with complete chrome package and that's part of the reason I bought it over a BBC. The only issue I really have with chrome is when you have a part chromed later and it presents fitment issues afterwards. I've had that happen with wheels, shift linkage, and a few other little things on other bikes in the past. That's actually whey BBC doesn't chrome their primary covers, not even as an option.
 
V

Vegas

Well-Known Member
I'm not a big fan of chrome. I like brushed, powder coated, nickel plated, polished surfaces. Of course I'd have to build it from scratch to do it that way.
 
L

linkoln

Member
Vegas said:
I'm not a big fan of chrome. I like brushed, powder coated, nickel plated, polished surfaces. Of course I'd have to build it from scratch to do it that way.
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i was just thinking bout the brushed look as i was reading. a brushed rim with a drome lip. thats a sweet look. i have alumini and is sux cleaning the wheel, i have starting likeing crome and considering cromeing the wheels but in black crome since the bike is black. trying to find a place in dfw texas to do it...
 
K9Anniv

K9Anniv

Well-Known Member
Chrome vs. Polished Aluminum?? Depends on how much time you have and how much effort you want to put into detailing your bike.

Chrome is easier to keep up than polished billet aluminum, but once you get a scratch on chrome...adios! At least with billet you can buff out hairline scratches.

Awesome Metal Polish

Windshield, Paint & Chrome Polish

I've been using these products on chrome & billet, and they're awesome! MUCH easier to clean-up than White Diamond or Wizards, IMO...and I've tried 'em all!:cheers:
 
T.Byrd

T.Byrd

Well-Known Member
Chrome unless you like sore fingers. Because you will get them from polishing all the alum.
 
Moespeeds

Moespeeds

Well-Known Member
Chrome is nice for the wheels and in any other difficult to polish area. Just spray it down with some S100, hose it off, then wipe it down with a soft cloth. I don't mind polishing at all, but if I had to chrome one thing, it'd be the wheels, they are always a bitch to polish.
 
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